Zion Culpepper1,2

Male, #557, (say 1809 - 28 Nov 1849)

Father*Sion Culpepper (c 1769 - a 1812)
Zion Culpepper|b. say 1809\nd. 28 Nov 1849|p557.htm|Sion Culpepper|b. circa 1769\nd. after 1812|p43024.htm||||John Culpepper of Norfolk Co., VA|b. circa 1743\nd. before 1791|p727.htm|Mary (?)|b. say 1748\nd. before 19 Oct 1812|p43025.htm|||||||

Birth*say 1809 Zion was born at North Carolina say 1809. 
 He was the son of Sion Culpepper. 
Marriage*Jul 1832 He married Mary T. Morris at North Carolina in Jul 1832. 
Marriage*23 Jan 1839 He married Matilda A. Newbold at North Carolina on 23 Jan 1839. 
1840 Census*1 Jun 1840 Zion was listed as the head of a family on the 1840 Census on 1 Jun 1840 at Pasquotank Co., North Carolina.
(Enumerated in the census but otherwise unaccounted for is 1 F5-10, 1 F15-20 and 3 slaves).3 
Burial*1849 His body was interred in 1849 at Episcopal Cemetery, Elizabeth City, Pasquotank Co., North Carolina. 
ProbateOct 1849 Zion's will was probated at Pasquotank Co., North Carolina, in Oct 1849. 
Death*28 Nov 1849 He died at Elizabeth City, Pasquotank Co., North Carolina, on 28 Nov 1849. 
Biography* Pasquotank Co. Wills, Bk. N, page 231 - 29 October 1849. Wife Matilda; nieces Amelia and Ella King; son Marshall Bertrand Culpepper; daughter Mary Louisa; son Carter and Zion. Exec: George W. Brooks. Wit: Willian B. Burgess and Joseph N. Bell.
.
      Descendant Phillip Coulter wrote, in a 1999 e-mail: "The first court record on Zion that I have found was 1845 when he brought property. When he died a few years latter he had accumulated a fair estate for that period. In his Estate as far as I know none of the real estate had a mortgage and was passed to his wife and children and wound up
to two children. He had to have had wealth to accumulate an estate in such a short time."
.
The following are from "Abstracts from The Old North State, Elizabeth City, NC, 1849-1850:"
.
11 Aug 1849: NOTICE. The undersigned having sold out his entire stock in trade, tenders his thanks to the public generally, for the liberal patronage they have been pleased to give him, and recommends to their notice Mr. Wm. B. BURGESS his successor in business, in whom they will find the same liberality in trade. The undersigned would further say that he can at all times be found at home ready to receive and settle with those wishing to pay him any balance that may be due from them to him, and being in such a state of health as may make it necessary for him to leave this place, he earnestly solicits their early attention in this matter. Very Respectfully, Zion CULPEPPER. Aug 11
.
18 Aug 1849: Family Groceries. The undersigned having taken the store formerly occupied by Zion CULPEPPER, Esq., on road street, opposite Mr. T. R COBB's has, and intends keeping constantly on hand, a large and well assorted stock of FAMILY GROCERIES . ... Wm. B. BURGESS: E. City, Aug. 18th,1849.
.
1 Dec 1849: DIED, Mr. Zion CULPEPPER--the subject of this Obituray [sic] bade adieu to the sorrows and afflictions attendant upon human life on Thursday, 29th inst. For several months past Mr. C. has been lingering as it were upon the very threshold of time, just ready to enter into boundless, endless eternity. For some time prior to his death he appeared to look forward to the moment of his dissolution, with deep interest and anxiety. He had no fears of death, for his peace was made with God. .. The writer of these lines would willingly speak of the merits of Mr. CULPEPPER, but is conscious of his entire inability to do justice thereto. Suffice it to say that his general treatment towards those with whom he had to do, was of such nature, as always to command their respect and esteem. The needy and dependant around him always had a ready passport to his kindness and benevolence. He was for several years previous to his death engaged in the Mercantile business, by which he succeeded in acquiring a handsome property. Mr. CULPEPPER has left a disconsolate wife and four little children, to lament his death . ...
.
      Zion's ancestry is currently a mystery. One possibility is that he was the son of Nicholas Culpepper, who was known to have had four sons, and Zion was the right age to have been one of them.
      Another possibility is that he was the son of Mason Culpepper, who died before 23 Feb 1826 in Camden County. I think the Mason Culpepper, born 1815, and living in Pasquotank Co. in 1850, was probably his son. Also living in Pasquotank in 1850 were Matilda Culpepper, widow of Zion, and their children. So perhaps Zion and Mason, Jr., were brothers, and sons of Mason. The only problem with this, is Mason Sr. does not seem to have had a son born in 1809, if the 1810/1820 census records are correct.
      Any help with this line will be appreciated.
 
Research note*26 Apr 2004 [LWG] I’m beginning to suspect that Zion Culpepper was the son of the “S” Culpepper who was in the 1810 census of Camden County, adjacent to Pasquotank. This “S” Culpepper had a son the right age to have been Zion, and also a daughter the right age to have been Zion’s apparent sister, Keziah, who married Jeremiah M. King.

I cannot identify this “S” Culpepper from Camden Co. deed records. But I suspect that he was none other than Sion Culpepper. See:

http://gen.culpepper.com/ss/p43024.htm#i43024

Culpepper estate or probate records in Camden Co. NC could be checked. Sion Culpepper disappears from Norfolk Co. VA tax records after 1804, and could well have moved to Camden, and been the “S” Culpepper in the 1810 census there. Apparently, he had some sort of dispute with his mother Mary, who chose to exclude him by name, from her will. I haven’t figured out who Sion’s father and Mary’s husband was, but it should be within the realm of possibility, with a little more research.

Your help with this person will be appreciated. Contact Lew Griffin (see footnote for details).4
 

Family 1

Mary T. Morris (say 1812 - )

Family 2

Matilda A. Newbold (circa 1820 - after 1 Jun 1880)
Children

Charts Descendants of Robert Culpepper, Jr. of Lower Norfolk Co., VA (Six generations)
Last Edited 23 Jun 2007

Citations

  1. E-mail from Phillip P. Coulter Jr., e-mail address to Lew Griffin, 1999-2000.
  2. E-mail from Alice Neal Basnight Doak (#38574), e-mail address to Lew Griffin, 2000.
  3. 1840 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 303, Ancestry.com images 1-2, Unknown Township, Pasquotank Co., NC
    Zine Culpepper, 1 M30-40, 2 F0-5, 1 F5-10, 1 F15-20, 1 F20-30, 3 slaves.
  4. Lewis W. Griffin Jr., 4307 North 34th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018, e-mail address, Phone: (602) 955-2597.